WHAT HAVE the past three years (since the first Covid-19 lockdown) taught us about life and death? In a society that has become increasingly uncomfortable talking about death, has the pandemic opened up new conversations and helped us to confront our discomfort?
These are among the key questions being posed by end-of-life charity Marie Curie, as part of the wider National Day of Reflection. This will include a minute’s silence at noon.
The ‘A Question of Life and Death’ panel presentation (from 12.02–12.47pm on Thursday 23rd March ) asks: what role does faith and spirituality play in our relationship with death, and how can we reimagine places of faith and spirituality for those with religious beliefs and those without? It can be watched live here.
In this roundtable session, broadcaster Anneka Rice will be joined by faith leaders, researchers and philosophers to discuss these big questions. Taking part are Dr Kathryn Mannix, Jasvir Singh CBE, the Rev Cassius Francis, and Ru Callender. Full biographies can be found here.
All Marie Curie online events for the National Day of Reflection are completely free. The Day is an opportunity to remember our loved ones who have died, to support people who are grieving, and to connect with each other, says the charity. ”Please join us once again to mark the day with a minute’s silence at noon, a nationwide network of Walls of Reflection, and a series of grief-themed online programmes.”
* Marie Curie is one of the UK’s leading end-of-life charities. They provide frontline nursing and hospice care, a free support line and a wealth of information and support on all aspects of dying, death and bereavement.
* See also Everyday Sacrament: Visual Meditations in an Age of Pandemic.